1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices for extending conduits through walls and more particularly, to a wall penetration sleeve for mounting in and traversing a solid concrete, brick or other wall and accommodating a pipe or conduit to allow the distribution of water, gas, electrical wiring and the like through the pipe or conduit. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the wall penetration sleeve is characterized by an elongated, cylindrical, filament-wound, fiberglass sleeve transversely mounted in a wall constructed of concrete, brick or other material. The sleeve is internally threaded on each end to receive a pair of pressure nuts which accommodate a pipe or pipes. An o-ring, or a rubber or plastic gasket provided in each end of the sleeve provides a moisture-tight seal between the sleeve and the pipe or pipes. An annular lock collar mounted circumferentially on the exterior surface of the sleeve securely mounts the sleeve in the wall and prevents fluid migration through the wall along the sleeve. The lock collar is either eccentrically mounted on the sleeve or includes a flat portion shaped in the circumference of the lock collar to prevent rotation and transverse movement of the sleeve in the wall.
Conventional methods for securing a conduit or pipe in a wall include use of conventional materials such as jute-packing, lead, rope and tar, to seal the pipe or pipes in the wall and prevent the pipe contents from leaking into the wall in case the pipe is damaged. In many cases, retrofitting of utility pipes and conduits through existing walls, including solid walls such as concrete, brick and stone, to effect a water-tight seal, is required. The wall penetration sleeve of this invention provides a simple, durable, easily installed construction for effectively receiving a utility pipe or conduit and passing virtually any material, including water and gas, as well as electrical wiring, through the pipe and wall. The use of o-rings or gaskets to seal a pipe or pipes within the sleeve interior eliminates the need for the largely inefficient conventional packing and sealing materials delineated above. Additionally, the wall penetration sleeve of this invention is designed to safely accommodate pipes which are subjected to exceedingly high pipe pressures in excess of that which may be used in conventional wall penetration devices.